Never agree to any kind of sporting challenge
after a few beers, particularly one that involves
cycling 320 miles from London to Paris in three-
and-a-half days. However, after one beer I am
easily led, and after a few more I’ll agree to
anything.
So it has come to pass that in July I’ll be
pedalling between the two capitals (apart from the
wet bit in the middle) for children’s charity ‘Action
Medical Research’. If I’m going to endure several
days of pain in the nether regions, then I may as
well raise some money while I’m at it, so a target
of £3,000 was duly plucked out of the air.
Having done similar events in the past, I
know that raising funds is not easy and in these
straightened times it is nigh on impossible.
However, I do have the benefit of 24,300 rather
enthusiastic Twitter followers (via @GrandPrixDiary),
so I thought the target, with their help, was
achievable.
I decided that a few F1 related prizes, to be
given to randomly picked sponsors, would help
things along and boy has it just.
My first call was to the Caterham F1 Team (I was
after something like a signed cap) and their CEO,
Riad Asmat, offered a race used, chromed and
mounted F1 exhaust. Blimey. Next up Marussia
offered pit crew helmet and gloves, Lotus called
and asked if I fancied a signed Kimi Raikkonen race
suit. There followed signed gloves from Williams,
autographed Sebastian Vettel fireproofs from Red
Bull and items from Mercedes, Force India, Sauber
and McLaren. Nine F1 teams pitched in...
The generosity spread outside the F1 paddock
with GP2 and GP3 teams offering once in a lifetime
prizes, drivers, fans and media started giving too,
TW Steel thought a watch might help raise some
cash.
The result? As I write this on 15 March, there
have been 75 days of consecutive donations, from
33 countries bringing in £13,410. And still the
money is coming in.
So, if anybody should tell you that our sport
is self-centred and distant from the real world,
just point them in my direction, I’ll show them
other wise.
Now just the small matter of the bike ride....
Rob Sinfield (@GrandPrixDiary)
You can donate to Rob’s fundraising effort here:
http://www.action.org.uk/sponsor/GPD
F1 >>> NEWS
Sweet (F1) charity
F1 fan Rob Sinfield is getting on his bike ...
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